Paper-binding tool



Sept; 20, 1927.

H. B. BARNBROOK PAPER BINDING TOOL Filed April 1. 1926' 2 shee tssheet Se t. 20, 1927.

Filed April 1; 1926 L mm RT Bm Ru T. 7. 8 R an HP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 20, 1927 PATENT-OFFICE; I

HELEN 3. BARNBROOK, or PROVIDENCE, RHODEISLAND:

- PAPER-BINDING TOOL.

Y A man filed April 1, 1926; Serial No.-99,1 '7.

My invention relates to tools for binding loose papers and the like into a compact, neatly bound book;

My invention comprises a plurallty of posts having means to contain the ends of binding cord therein adjustably detachably mounted on a base and having posts intermediate said posts provided with means to temporarily engage the/intermediate portions of binding cord having the ends thereof threaded downwardly through said other posts. In my preferred embodiment my invention comprises two outer hollow posts and preferably a solid center post suitably mounted on such a-base. I believe I am the first toprovide a device of this description provided with means to adjustably mount certain of said posts on said base, whereby said unit may be adjusted to bind the various sizes of papers, such as say business letter size, legal cap size, normally used in a business office, and, newspapers. An object of my invention therefore is to provide a unitary device of this description, adjustable 1 tobind papers of various ranges ofwidth.

As I preferably detachably mount the posts on the base, I provide a unit which may be disassembled and packed for shipping purposes in a compact unit.

These and such'other. objects of my inven-v tion as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description'of the accompanying drawings whichqillustrate one embodiment of my invention and thesteps necessaryrto form'a completely bound book of office papers. I

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of myinvention.

Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereoftaken along the line 22 'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view after the sheets of paper desired to be'bound 5 have been? laid onzthe posts, suitable covers therefor placed thereon, one of said covers being provided with a suitable gumme'd flap and' with a binding cord having the ends thereof threaded downwardly through said outer hollow posts and having the interme diate portion thereof engaged by the hook on said center post. I

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic'perspeotive view illustrating how when said papers and covers are lifteden; bloc from my tool, the

hook, draws down the center portion of said blnd ng cord to form a loop and the ends of the binding cord withdraw-from said outer hollow posts to form ends adapted to be tied to said loop to bind said papers-together. t

Fig.6 is a reverse plan view of one end of my invention. J

- Fig. 7is a view of an endofa book with the, ends of the binding cord tied to the'loop to bind the papers together;

F 1g. 8 is a perspective view of the papers compactly bound into a neat book and havmg the outer flap secured over and on top of the binding cord., I t

4 In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, 10, generally indicates abinding toolconstructed, in accordance with the principles of my invention. 12 indicates a suitable base therefor which is preferably narrow and is slightly longer than 'the width of the widest paper to be bound. 14s "and 14 illustrate the outer hollow posts and 16 illustrates the 7 center post ofmy invention, all of which are adapted to be secured to said base, referably. in' the detachable manner to e explained. In order that the hollow posts 1%? and 14 may-be adjustably secured to saidbase in'a convenient manner, I provide the deep groove extending centrally, longitudinally on the bottom of said base and the longitudinal slots 18 and 18 extendin V trally from said groove 15 from substantially the ends thereof to the top of said base, thusforming flanges 28 having the lower sides spaced a *substantial amount from the bottomof said base. The groove 15 may be formed in the bottom of said base 12 in any suitable manner, s'uc'h'as by casting', stamping, or otherwise. The center post 16 is preferably detachably secured to the. solid center portion 22 of said base by having the thread 30 on the "lower end thereof adapted to register in-the threadedhole 32' in said center portion 22. Said center post 16 is provided with means on the upper end thereof to temporarily engage the intermediate portion of a binding cord, in my preferred embodiment said means preferably comprising the hook 34. While said outer posts 14 and la may be constructed in any suitable manner to hold the ends of the bindingcord therein,such as by providing longitu inal slits therein, etc., they are preferably constructed hollow as shown and have the washers 36 and 36 permanently secured thereto near the lower ends 38 thereof and the outer peripheries el-(l ot the lower ends thereof preterably threaded as shown below said washers 36 and 36. To detachably secure the lower ends 38 of said hollow posts l t and let to said liiase 12, 1. preferably provide the comparatively thin nuts 42" and 42 provided with the central threaded holes i l adapted to engage the threaded lower ends of said hollow posts l1 and 1.4;" to adjustably clamp them to the flanges 28. in order that said posts 1-1 and ll may be readily adjusted longitudinally (it said slots 8 and 18 without removing the base 12 from its support, the nuts 12 and 4:2 preferably have their peripheries flattened at diametrically opposite sides thereof as at 16 to abut the sides of the upper portion -18 of said groove 15 immediately below said flanges 28. It is thus obvious that in turning the hollow posts 1 1 and M" by hand counterclockwise, that as the sides d6 of said nuts 42" and 12" are kept from turning in said groove 15 that said posts 1 1 and 14" will become unlooseued from said nuts 12 and 42*, so that said posts ll and 11" may be moved to a new position on said slots 18 and 18*, and on then turning said posts clockwise the nuts 42 and 42 still prevented from turning by the sides 4-6, will. similarly secure said posts to said base in a new position by clamping said flanges 28 against said washers 36 and 36. As stated, the hollow posts 14f and l t" are adapted to contain the ends 50 and 50 of a binding cord 52 therein. The nuts 42 and 42" are preferably thin, so that the ends 50" and 50 of said cord may told as shown in Fig. 2 within the lower portion oi? said groove 15 below said nuts.

hen it is desired to use my improved tool to bind sheets of paper, said sheets of paper 51- are marginally perforated along their width as at 56 at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacings of said posts, the posts 1 1 and 14* having been adjusted, as hitherto explained in any suitable manner, and the perforations 56 in said papers made either with a suitable punch or by insertion of said papers over said posts, the ends of which may be sharpened if desired. The marginal perforations 56 are thus formed on said papers and said papers 54: are laid on said posts. If it is desired to form a complete book. the. book covers 58 and 60 may be inserted thereon, above and below said papers respectively. To completely cover all the bound end of the book. a marginal. flap 62 is preferably provided, having one edge 64 thereof gummed and attached to one edge 66 of one of said covers. In my preferred embodiment both said covers 58 and 60 and the edge 66 of the attached flap are correspondingly marginally perforated as at 68 to correspond with the marginal perforations 56 in said papers.

A suitable binding cord, tape or other material 52 is then taken and the ends at) and 50" thereof suitably dropped down through said hollow posts 14; and 14- and the center portion of said cord engaged by the hook Pit oi said center post 16. It is obvious that as the flanges 26 are spaced a substantial amount From the bottom of the base it, a considerable space will be lel't in said groove 15 beneath the thin nuts 4 1 and the lower ends of said posts i l and 1 1*, so as to permit the ends 50 and 50" to freely drop through said hollow posts l t and l l" and not get caught within said hollow bores.

\Vhen said papers at and covers 56 and 60 are raised en bloc from said posts as shown in Fig. 5, it is obvious that the hook 3-1; of said center post 16 will draw the center portion as of said binding cord 52 dowlr wards through the intermediate perform tions in said covers and papers to form the do vnwardly projecting loop and the ends 56 and 50" of said cord willbe pulled up- "ards until they are withdrawn from within said hollow posts l t" and 14; to form the ends at a and 50, adapted to be tied to said loop to bind said papers 54 and covers 56 and together. The ends 50 and 50 are then tied to said loop 55 as illustrated in Fig. 7. The tree gummed end 70 of said flap (i2 is then inserted over the tied mar ginal edge of said papers and covers respeolively and the gunnned edge 70 is permauently gunnned to the lower cover 60 to completely hide all the binding material and to cover the exposed portions of the binding cord to form the completely bound book 72 of papers as illustrated in Fig. 8.

\Vhilc it is desirable to employ the covers 58 and 60 for said papers and also the gummed flap 62, it is obvious that they may be dispensed with if desired. It is also obvious that in place of one intermediate post 16, a plurality of intermediate posts and hollow posts may be employed and two ends threaded downward through each hollow post in case it is desired to obtain a more secure binding for comparatively large papers and I have employed the singular throughout the claims to include the plural where this is employed.

It is obvious that I have provided a. tool which may be knocked down and conveni'ently packed in small compass, which is adjustable so as to bind the normal sized papers of every otl'ice. simple, inexpensive and which permits the most inexperienced otiice employee to become his own book binder.

It is understood that my invention is not limited. to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made by Letters Patent is:

1. A tool for use in binding papers and the like comprising a base having a deep groove extending longitudinally and centra-lly and upwardly from the bottom there.- of and having slots located centrally there of, theslots extending from said groove to the top of the base and from near the ends of the base to nearly the center thereof, whereby longitudinally extending flanges are formed spaced a substantial amount-from the plane of the bottom of the base and whereby a solid portion is left at thecenter of the'base, a central post, having a hook at its upper end, threadably engaged with the solid center portion of the base, hollow posts on each side of the central post,'the lower ends of the hollow posts extending into said slots, and terminating above the plane of the bottom of the base, and means for clamping the lower ends of the hollow posts to said flanges at any desired points therealong, r

2. A tool for use'in binding vpapers and the like comprising, a base having a deep groove extending longitudinally and ,centrally and upwardly from the bottom thereof and having slots located centrally thereof, the slots extending from said groove to the top of the base and from near the ends of the base to nearly the center thereof, whereby longitudinally extending flanges are formed spaced a substantial amount from the plane of the bottom of the base and whereby a solid portion is left at the center of-the base, a central post, having a hook at its upper end, threadably engaged with the solid center portion of the base, a hollow post on each side of the center post having a washer secured thereto near its lower end and being externally. threaded at its lower end, clamping nuts, internally threaded, for engaging the lower ends of the respective hollow posts for variably positioning the posts in their respective slots, the nuts and the lower ends of the posts being spaced from the plane of the bottom of the base, the nuts being flattened for engaging with the sides of the grooves, below the flanges.

3. A tool for use in binding papers and the like, comprising a base, a central post deta-chably engageable with the center portion of said base and having a hook on the upper end thereof, a hollow post on each side of said center ortion and means to detachably clamp sald hollow posts to said base In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' HELEN BARNBROOK. 

